Going My Way, 1944

Bing Crosby is Father Chuck O’Malley in this beloved story of a priest with life-changing love. Barry Fitzgerald is Father Fitzgibbon, a man who seems like an old grouch in the beginning, but accepts change in a heart-warming ending.

O’Malley is assigned to a new church and must help the older priest who is worried about the financial situation of the church he’s been in for decades. A group of boys need guidance, so O’Malley thinks up a creative way to keep them off the street.

Leo McCarey wrote the story before turning it over to screenwriters Frank Butler and Frank Cavett, who won the Oscar for Best Writing of a Screenplay. McCarey based the Barry Fitzgerald character, according to imdb.com, on Msgnr. Nicholas Conneally, pastor of the Santa Monica church where they were filming.

In addition to Best Screenplay, this film won six other Oscars including: Best Writing of an Original Story, Best Actor in a Leading Role, Best Actor in a supporting Role, Best Director, Best Music-Original Song, and Best Picture.